Takoyaki
by x-ticklemeblue
Summary: It just wasn't a small ball of spices, it was a delicacy that brought them together. ShikaTema. Slight AU.


**March 3, 2012: EDITED.**

**just want to say that whatever information you get here are all true facts. it's all based on the Naruto Databook. :)**

**enjoy!  
**first ShikaTema fic. yey to me!**

* * *

He was worried. Scratch that— he was _tormented._

"How the_ hell _did this happen?" he breathed, as Ino and Choji looked at him with concern.

"Dude," Choji started, still munching onto the bag of chips he bought just around the corner.

"_What?_ What could you _possibly_ say at a time like _this?_" Shikamaru bellowed, his eyes full of red little veins.

"Dude, you're exaggerating." Choji said nonchalantly. Shikamaru looked at him, a blank look on his face. The lazy genius smiled, grinned— then laughed.

"I know, I know. I saw it at a movie somewhere." he hurried away, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What's wrong with him?" Ino questioned, flipping her blond hair behind her.

"Eh," Choji shrugged. "The Sabaku brothers were here a while ago."

"Just the two? Where's Temari?" Ino asked, looking at her newly manicured nails. Choji smirked at her.

She waited for his response, but _yeah_. She figured it out on her own.

Gaara was here.

Kankuro was here.

Temari wasn't.

Shikamaru was worried.

"O-oh. Oh. Oh! I get it!" Ino exclaimed.

Shikamaru, waiting at the curb, shouted at them. "Hey, you two! Are you coming or not?"

* * *

**Takoyaki**

_x-ticklemeblue_

"She's sick." Shikamaru answered Ino's unspoken question.

"I didn't ask anything."

"But you wanted to."

She grinned sheepishly. "Yeah."

There was an awkward silence _(well, not really. They weren't speaking to each other to begin with)_. The only sounds were the rustling of the dried leaves scattered on the sidewalk and their quiet footsteps.

"Why don't you visit her?" Ino suggested, as they neared her house.

"Suna's almost an hour away from here. It's night time."

"No, you baka! I mean visit her tomorrow." she scratched the back of her head in frustration. "Jeez. And they say _you_ have an I.Q of 200."

"_More _than 200, Ino."

"Just go and visit her tomorrow!"

"Ugh. What a drag. I don't want to." he groaned. Feeling the annoyed aura of Ino beside him —and seeing that she took off one of her ninja shoes, which was probably to be used to hit his head— he finally gave in.

"Fine, fine." he said wearily.

As they reached her house, he saw a squirrel move in front of them.

The squirrel was eating—

He chuckled slightly. "Chestnuts."

"What's with you?" Ino asked, looking at the chuckling man.

"Chestnuts. One of Temari's favorite foods."

"Oooh. So you _do_ know. The bring her some when you visit her tomorrow, silly!" Ino drawled, smacking his shoulder.

Before he could respond, she was already at her door.

"Ja ne!" she bowed at him, and walked inside.

"_Women._" he sighed.

* * *

_KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK._

"Gaara, open the door." that was Kankuro.

"Do it yourself." was Gaara's reply.

"Fine."

The sound of a glass cup being put down.

The sound of a chair being drawn back.

The sound of footsteps.

The sound of the doorknob twisting.

The sound of Kankuro's lazy voice saying a greeting.

But he ignored those.

"Where's Temari?"

"Upstairs. Didn't I tell you she was sick?" the puppeteer asked, an eyebrow raised, as he leaned on the side of the door.

"That's why I'm here."

"What? You're the nurse we called, then?" Gaara joked, a smirk hidden behind the cup of tea in his hand.

"Nurse? I thought she had a small fever?"

"Well, yesterday it was. She can still walk and talk, she even washed the dishes and cleaned everything while we were in Konoha." Kankuro informed, side-stepping to invite Shikamaru in.

"When we came back, she was inside her bathroom, vomiting." Gaara said calmly, going to the kitchen and washing his cup clean. Kankuro and Shikamaru followed suit.

"Why are the both of you dressed up as if you're leaving?" the genius asked, drinking a glass of water offered to him by Gaara.

"Because we are."

Shikamaru _almost_ choked on the water.

"You're leaving Temari _alone_ while she's _sick?_"

"Yes, actually. Is there a problem?" Gaara asked bluntly.

"Well, yeah. Why the heck would you leave a weak girl alone in a house? She can be erm, uhm —a-assassinated!"

"Assassinated? Really now, why would _that _happen?" Gaara retorted.

"Well, because you're the Kazekage, and she's your sister. Assassins will definitely try to kill her."

Gaara seemed to ponder for a moment, until a small smile graced his lips. "That's a possibility. Besides, they could take advantage of her in this state."

"Then why would you leave her here?" Shikamaru grunted.

"Because I know you wouldn't leave her, Shikamaru. Am I not right?" Gaara stated, smirking.

Shikamaru was shocked for a moment, then realized—

_Damnit._

—Gaara was right.

"Aa. I'll take care of her."

"Good. We'll be leaving then. If Sakura comes, you can leave."

"Sakura?"

"Yes. The pink-haired girl. She's the nurse. Are you against that?"

Shikamaru groaned. "No. Never mind."

"We'll be on our way now." Kankuro said, saluting boredly at the lazy bum.

The door slammed shut, _loudly_, and a small yelp was heard upstairs.

_Uh-oh._

"W-what's happening down there? Do I have to come down?" Temari's faint, and hoarse voice was heard, as he heard the bed shifting.

"No need."

"E-eh? Shikamaru?"

"Yes."

"W-Where's Sakura-chan?"

"Gaara said she's on her way."

"Alright then."

* * *

_BEEP-BEEP-BEEP._

"Moshi, moshi?"

"Sakura?"

"Oh, Gaara-san. Is there anything wrong?"

"You don't need to come to our house after all."

"Eh? Temari-chan's cured already?"

A smirk graced on the Kazekage's lips. "You can say that."

* * *

Shikamaru walked up the stairs, and to Temari's room.

It was breezy inside her room, which smelled like lilac, despite the _maybe very awful smell_ of the weak, ill-looking form on the bed.

He was still at the door, and he didn't_ dare_ to move closer.

"Shikamaru?" she whispered.

Her voice was really _really hoarse_. It's like he was talking to someone else.

"Yes, love?"

"I'm already sick, Shikamaru. What you said was_ sickening_." Temari laughed, but ended up coughing.

"I was just trying to cheer you up."

She coughed again, but now—

"H-hey! Are you okay?" he asked in a concerned voice, rushing to her side.

—she coughed out blood.

Temari sighed and nodded. Which gave her a headache.

"Do you think my fever went down?" she asked meekly.

"I don't know. How many degrees were you yesterday?"

"Almost 40 degrees."

_God_, what kind of brothers does she have? They didn't even take her to the hospital.

"Where's the thermometer now?"

"In the bathroom."

"Why the hell is it there?"

"I vomited on it and washed it afterwards. I let it dry there."

Now_ that _was just gross.

He sighed and opened the bathroom door. He saw the thermometer on the sink, next to a bar of soap.

He went back to Temari, to see the pale green face of hers.

What. The. Hell.

_Green?_

"Shi-Shikamaru." she moaned in pain. "I-I think I'm gonna..."

And then she fainted.

"Damnit." he groaned. He used his thumb to slightly open up her mouth, as he inserted the thermometer gently inside.

After a while, he took the thermometer and examined it.

"38 degrees. That's good, right?" he mumbled to himself. If he could remember, the average body temperature of a human _(well, Temari is a human being, _right_?)_, was 37 degrees.

"Shikamaru..."

"Hm?" he looked at her, while shaking the thermometer.

"Did my fever go down yet?"

"Yep. two degrees off."

"That's good." she grunted in relief.

"Anything you want?"

She shifted so that she was looking straight at him. "Tell me more about yourself."

"Eh?" of all the topics, it just had to be _that._

"Well? Are you gonna answer or not?"

"You go first." he said, smirking.

"Okay then. My name is Temari No Sabaku," Shikamaru rolled his eyes at that. She ignored that and continued. "I am currently 19 years old. My birthday is on August 23," now _that_ was a useful information. "I love watching plants!" he raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm falling in love."

"I'm not asking for your love life." he hissed. (Did he just_ hiss_?)

"I love chestnuts and tofu soup. I hate sea foods, namely squid and octopus. Gaah."

"Why do you hate sea foods? They're delicious." Shikamaru said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"Squid and octopus are just kinda..._suction cup-py_. You know?"

"They won't kill you when you eat them." Shikamaru deadpanned.

"I just don't like 'em." she finished. "Your turn!"

"Hm. Shikamaru Nara. 16 years old. September 22. I love cloud watching. I like mackerel and kelp. I hate eggs." he muttered. Temari frowned at his lack of words.

He smirks suddenly. "But unlike you, I'm_ already_ in love."

"Hmpf." she huffed, looking away.

Her stomach grumbles.

"Um— do you know how to cook?"

"Yes. But only the dishes I know."

"Is one of those dishes tofu soup?" Temari asked, hoping for a _yes._

_Please say yes, please say_—

"No."

"Ugh. Cook anything then." she groaned, slapping her head with a pillow. "_Just_ don't poison me."

* * *

_'What the heck am I going to cook for her? All I know to cook is seafood dishes.'_

He bit his bottom lip repeatedly, rummaging through the different cookbooks that lay on the kitchen counter.

His stomach grumbles.

_'God. Now _I'm_ hungry!'_

He remembered what his mother said before he fled the house.

_"Shikamaru, dear! Don't you want any? I cooked them just for you."_

Damnit.

He wasted his time here in the Sabaku household, later on, being informed that Sakura was coming, —so his visit was actually pointless— instead of eating the delicious food his mother made.

What a_ drag._

And those were—

He smirked.

_'Oh, Temari. Do I have a surprise for you.' _he cackled evilly, opening the cabinets for the needed ingredients.

Oh _yes._

Revenge was sweet.

* * *

She inhaled deeply, then later on exhaled.

She did this numerous times, the smell of whatever Shikamaru was cooking filling her room.

He came back in, a tray in his hand.

"What is this? Breakfast in bed?" Temari asked sarcastically, sitting up and leaning herself on the headboard.

"Technically, it's lunch time."

He put the tray down on the nightstand, as she took the glass of iced tea, and drank it up quietly.

For him, she looked..._cute._

She put the glass down, and she noticed the small balls on a plate. She lowered her head and reveled at the aroma.

"This smells yummy! What are these?" she asked, licking her lips.

"Takoyaki."

"Sounds yummy."

"It tastes yummy too." Shikamaru smirked.

"Un!" she smiled, ripping the chopsticks apart.

"Itadakimasu!" she exclaimed, chomping onto the takoyaki hungrily.

* * *

"Kyaa! I feel so energized!" she shouted, jumping from her bed and starting to pump her fists in the air.

"Is that so?"

"I still feel nauseous, but it'll wear off sooner or later." she grinned.

"I guess I should go home now." He dismissed, walking off. "You _are_ better now right?" Shikamaru asked, looking at her across his shoulder.

"Can you check my temperature first?" she asked, a small blush on her cheeks. She sat back down on the edge of the bed.

He raised an eyebrow, and later on took the thermometer from the table. "Sure."

He inched closer to her to give her the thermometer.

But _no freaking way_ did he expect what was next.

She kissed him.

Passionately.

Possessively.

But mostly _passionately._

Seriously.

* * *

"A _thank you_ kiss." she smiled sweetly, a soft blush on her cheeks.

"Aa." he said, "Well, instead of a _you're welcome_ kiss,"

He kissed her.

Passionately.

Possessively.

But mostly _possessively._

Seriously.

* * *

"I love you." he added, smirking.

She blushed. "I love you, too." she squeaked.

_SLAM!_

"Nara! You still here?" Kankuro's voice was heard downstairs.

"Yes!" Shikamaru shouted back, standing up. Kankuro showed up in front of him in a flash.

"Then you better leave, Gaara's upset at the meeting. He might kill you now." Kankuro queered. Shikamaru flinched.

"I was just joking." he chuckled.

"Shikamaru. Thank you for taking care of our sister. You may take your leave now." Gaara was leaning against the door now. He _smiled_, giving a small salute to the lazy bum.

"Okay then. Ja ne, Temari." he said, facing her. He looked back at the Sabaku brothers, and bowed down in respect.

The door slammed shut, a sign that he was gone.

"So, what happened? Are you cured?"

"Probably, I feel better now."

"That's nice." Gaara stated, walking out, uninterested.

"Kankuro, can I ask a favor?" Temari asked.

"What?"

"Can you cook takoyaki for me?"

"_What?_ I thought you hated octopus?"

"I do."

"But, takoyaki is..." Kankuro trailed off, as he sensed that Temari got the point.

Takoyaki is octopus balls. _Octopus_ balls. Temari hated— despised those.

"I knew it, I _knew _it!" she sat up, as she stomped her feet loudly, her hands shaking from the temptation of punching someone. "It tasted like it!"

She stood up angrily.

"Shikamaru!"

* * *

**NARA RESIDENCE:**

Six days, three hours, eighteen minutes, and forty-five seconds later—

"Achoo!"

—but really whose counting?

Certainly not the sand kunoichi, who just so innocently passed by, Or well, that's _what_ she said.

_KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK._

The door cracked open by itself.

_'Why the hell is his door open?'_

"Temari?" it was Shikamaru.

She walked inside the house, pursing his lips as she saw the Shogi board and its pieces scattered on the living room floor.

"Temari?" Shikamaru's hoarse voice asked once again.

"Oh, yeah! It's me!" she said in a sing-song voice.

She walked upstairs to his room, and saw him spread out in his bed, his right arm blocking his eyes from the bright light.

It smelled quite _forest-y_ inside his room. Not really what she expected, but yeah.

He groaned and shifted his position.

Her eyes turned into slits, an evil smile on her lips. "I brought egg mimosa!"

He sat up suddenly, a look of shock and_ fear_ crossing his features.

Oh, _hell no__._

Temari couldn't help but smile. Revenge is _really_ sweet.

* * *

**so? was it good enough? huh? huh? :O**

**haha. :D  
**I just effin' love ShikaTema. X3**

**REVIEWS are very much welcomed here. :D**

**BYE. :)**


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